Atlanta Laser Nail Specialist, a specialty center of America Foot & Leg Specialists, specializes in the removal of fungus on toenails. All four of our locations around the Atlanta Metro area serving patients in the South Atlanta Metro area including Fayette County, Douglas County, Cobb County, Fulton County, Clayton County, and Henry County, are expert in laser nail and toenail fungus.

Facts about Toenail Fungus

Toenail fungus is very prevalent and occurs more often as one ages. At least 5% of people suffer from nail fungus infection and it accounts for 30% of all skin infections, according to recent statistics. Even though they are less visible, toenail fungal infections are far more common than fingernail. Toenail fungus can reveal a lot about a person’s health. For example, it could suggest poor circulation in the nails or that your immune system is compromised.

Toenail fungus may initially appear as a little spot of discoloration of one of your toenails, usually yellow or white. At first, you may think that it is just a scratch or mark and ignore it; however, if you let it take hold of your nail, it can turn into a thickened yellow or white tough mess to handle. At Atlanta Laser Nail Specialist, we offer all of the best options to ensure you the best possible treatment and experience. If you do not treat toenail fungus properly and promptly, then it can lead to other infections and is actually contagious, so you can spread it to other people!

Toenail Fungus is Contagious!

It is possible to catch toenail fungus from somewhere—even though it might seem like it came out of nowhere. If you have toenail fungus, then you might have come in contact with someone else who is infected. Studies have shown that foot infections like athlete’s foot and toenail fungus do spread from person to person among families and those who are close to each other. Although it might not be classified as “highly contagious,” it is very easy to spread fungal toenail infections through sharing shoes, socks, nail polish, nail tools, and so forth. One of the more common places for fungal infection to spread is the nail salon. If the tools have not been properly sterilized between treatments or a bottle of nail polish is used on an infected person, then fungal infections can be passed very easily throughout the salon. If you regularly go to get pedicures, be sure to ask about their techniques for sterilization and take your own nail polish!

Toenail fungus is much more common in men than women, so nail salons are not the most common way to be infected. Most of the time, fungus that has infected your toenails has started off as athlete’s foot. Then, it is typically spread from walking barefoot around the gym or a public swimming pool. Like previously stated, you should always wear flip flops in these areas to help prevent contamination. If you leave athlete’s foot untreated, it will continue to grow and spread across the soles of your feet and onto your toes, which is why it can infect your toenail, also. It is easiest for bacteria and fungus to grow in wet areas, so you need to make sure to wear shoes and dry your feet!

Typically, toenail fungus results from a trauma to the nail that makes it susceptible for infection; for example, someone stepping or dropping something on your toes, or not wearing shoes that fit properly. People who participate in sports like basketball, tennis, etc. are more prone to a toenail fungal infection because of the rapid stopping movements that cause the foot to slide inside the shoes.

How to Avoid Spreading Toenail Fungus

Once you have an infected toenail, it is much more likely to spread to other nails on the same foot, or even jump to the other foot. The fungus is typically spread by your things you use daily, like your socks. Simply washing the socks is not enough to help avoid this—you need to exterminate the bacteria. You can do this by saturating your socks in eucalyptus oil or bleach before washing them. Also, you can switch to utilizing anti-fungal and anti-bacterial laundry powder. In order to prevent toenail fungus:

Keep your feet as clean and dry as possible

Do not wear the same shoes two days in row

Trim your nails regularly

Wear clean, fresh socks daily

Avoid tight hosiery because they can hold moisture

Wear waterproof sandals at swimming pools and other public wet areas

Use the Steri-Shoe available at any of our locations in the Product Store

Treatment Options

To treat this condition Atlanta Laser Nail Specialist may prescribe:

Topical ointments: Fungus of the nails can be treated with topical ointments applied directly to the nail over a period of time. In many cases, patients can see improvement in months

Oral medications: Oral medications can be used to treat toe fungus. However, the fungus may return in as many as 35% of cases.

Laser treatments: Laser is high-energy light that is directly on the toenails to the kill the fungus. This treatment can be 77-90% effective in eliminating the fungus and allowing a clear nail to grow. Laser treatment is the method recommended by Atlanta Laser Nail Specialist.

As soon as you see a fungal toenail infection, you should treat it! Make an appointment at Atlanta Laser Nail Specialist, a specialty practice of American Foot and Leg Specialists, to discuss options for treatment for your toenail disorder today! We have special deals at $99 for up to 5 toes and $199 for up to 10 toes. We conveniently have four locations in Atlanta, Stockbridge, Locust Grove or Fayetteville. Call (404) 363-9944 today to make an appointment!

Pages

Atlanta Laser Nail Specialist

As a leader in the field of podiatric medicine and surgery for over forty years, Atlanta Laser Nail Specialist works hard to prevent, detect, and treat any foot and ankle problem. From routine checkups to athletic or work-related injuries as well as special treatments and surgery, our physicians are experts on all podiatric needs including diabetic foot care, nerve testing, lower extremity wound care, pediatric care, and disability ratings.